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Helping you to do MORE for God through your Work

Personalized Faith Plan

The Calling Clarity Course

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I want to invite you to the Calling Clarity Course.

I believe you ARE exactly where you need to be to live out the Calling God has for your life. You need to know HOW He has uniquely equipped You.

You need the Calling Clarity Course to be bold, to be creative, to share your faith and do it by Connecting your Faith & Business.

God is so amazing in His timing and positioning of where He wants to take each of us. Are you ready to continue trusting God and taking the next step in His adventure for your life?

I want to invite you to the Calling Clarity Course.

So let me tell you all the things you get if you sign up for the Calling Clarity Course.

Let’s begin with the Tools you will receive:

 

Books- Strengths Finder 2.0, Marketplace Christian, Journal

 
Assessments- Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Multiple Intelligences, Spiritual Preferences, Personality

 
Activities- Values Finder, Personalized Faith Plan

 
Checklists- Experiences, Talents, Expertise

 

Next, the Outcomes you will receive:

  • Determine 3-6 Spiritual Gifts and how to apply them to business
  • Discover 5 Strengths to know how you operate as a leader
  • Connect to your Personality and the way you think
  • Create a decision filter based on your top 5 Values
  • Identify your Expertise in many areas
  • Remember the Talents you may be over-looking and how they work for you
  • Pinpoint Experiences that add value to your uniqueness
  • Personalized Faith Plan with 4 activities designed just for you

How it will Work:

  1. Three-hour Virtual Workshop (with some pre-work) where we will explore your business vision and the parts that make up you. You will be given tools to use as we advance together.
  2. Once a week, 90-minute virtual meetings for 8-weeks to check in with where you are with each assignment and have a mastermind session. You will get 8-minutes in the Hot Seat to have everyone pour into you. Assignments will be checklists, assessments, and journaling.
  3. One Day Retreat (with an overnight BONUS option). We will put together all your parts so you can see your Calling Clarity. You will know who you are and Whose you are. There will be a time for you to put all your beautiful pieces together and share what God has revealed to you.  You will walk away knowing how you show up in your business as whole, holy, and authentic.
  4. A 45-minute one-on-one Session four to six weeks after Course is completed.

Have I made this program irresistible for you?  Are you excited to know the details of when and how much? Remember this is only available for the first 8 Wise Women who contact me.

When: Workshop- Saturday, March 2nd from 9am-12pm EST on Zoom

Virtual Meetings- Wednesdays from 8pm-9:30pm EST 3/6; 3/13; 3/20; 3/27; 4/3; 4/10; 4/17; 4/24

Retreat Day- Saturday, April 27th from 9am-3pm EST with Friday night **BONUS Live Coaching Session (near Metro Detroit Airport, TBD).

Investment: $1,048 payable in one installment or for two installments of $629 (due at time of sign-on and then 30 days later)

**Additional Fee for Hotel night stay on Friday night.

I believe you ARE exactly where you need to be to live out the Calling God has for your life. You need to know HOW He has uniquely equipped You. You need the Calling Clarity Course to be bold, to be creative, to share your faith and do it by Connecting your Faith & Business.

Here are some words from the last participants:

“Each piece of the puzzle confirmed the piece before. I am who I am and it is okay to be authentic.”   Deb

“I feel transformed, I came in feeling like a ‘hot mess’ and left feeling directed and on a mission.”   Lynnet

“It helped me gain an insight on my direction moving forward. . . it allowed me to look at all that God can use in me.”    Brenda

Join me NOW! Get your spot TODAY. Registration is open until Friday, February 15th (or has filled).

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

Practice Sabbath

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Sabbath is one of my favorite Spiritual Practices. It gives me 24-hours to relax, refresh, and remain connected to the Father. Do you trust God enough to take a Sabbath each week? That was the question I needed to ask myself AND I needed God to show me that I could.

Sabbath Begins

My Sabbath has evolved since I first started making this practice part of my week. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do except put away all my ‘work’. That could be hard because my mind does not stop thinking about my projects just because I don’t have it open on my computer.

So, I decided to save certain things for my Sabbath time. They are projects of a personal nature, things that truly relax me, or activities that I can indulge in without guilt. What I have found is that when I take this time apart, I come back to my work (my business) with new enthusiasm and ideas.

Another reason I decided on really showing up in an intentional way for my Sabbath is that I am not always able to go to church services. With my MS, it is not ‘restful’ for me to get up on a Sunday morning, get ready, and go to church. Since I am an entrepreneur, I need downtime for my body to recuperate after a week of working my business.

My Sabbath

What does my Sabbath look like? It starts on Saturday evening between 4-6pm and goes until that time on Sunday. I am trying a new thing by going to the Saturday service at my church as much as I am able. I like that it kicks off Sabbath for me. Each week I plan something that I am going to do. It can be something as simple as a bath to having brunch with a group of girlfriends. I love saving books to read and watching movies with my daughters.

One thing that is super important for me is an extended prayer-time with God. I do meet with God each day for Bible study and prayer, BUT this is time set apart to focus on people, projects, and relationships. It is time for me to listen to what God is impressing on me. Of course, I use my journal and colored pens to give me focus.

Begin Sabbath

What are some activities that recharge you? Think about things you really enjoy and allow yourself to do them during your Sabbath. What 24-hour period works best for you? There is no ‘set’ way to do this. God gave us the example of Sabbath way back in Genesis, not because He needed it but because He knew we would.

I would LOVE to give you a list of Sabbath Ideas to get you started. You can download them by clicking HERE.

Start this week with just one thing you really enjoy. Create the Sabbath that works for you and gives you the rest you need. Trust God that your business will be there (and flourish) when you obey His Command to Sabbath.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

 

Suffering to Do Right

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Ready to suffer? No one is. But, as a believer in Jesus we need to be ready to suffer for doing what is right.

Many years ago I was in a job that required transporting mentally ill clients. We were in a residential treatment center so we took them to the grocery store, to their appointments, and to day programs. We were responsible for them and I took the job seriously as I drove the 15-passenger van.

Others who worked in the program were not as diligent as me. When it came to my attention that a few of them were showing up to work intoxicated I knew it would have to be me who reported it. What was even worse, the biggest violator was the boss’s own daughter.

It was not easy, and I did not make any friends. In fact, I stood alone in my accusations because the person who had told me would not back me up. But I knew it was right. After that, we had safeguards put into place to prevent this from happening again.

1 Peter 3:14 says, But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.

 

When I think about SUFFERING. . . a few thoughts come to mind as I remember back on this situation.

Standing

If I had not been the one to stand up for the clients, then something horrible could have happened. I had to know what was right and be ready to say something.

Faith

Doing what is good is what we are mandated to do. God expects us to live in a way that shows our faith. That means doing the unpopular thing at times.

Risking

I thought about what the consequences would be if I did nothing and it scared me. I also thought about the awkward work environment and that I may have even lost my job.

Intentional

I could not just pray that the situation would go away. I had to make the effort to do the right thing. There could be no shying away from my responsibility.

Growth

By doing this one thing in the way God wanted, I felt empowered. My relationship with Him grew as I took one more step into being obedient.

 

It is not always in the BIG Moments that we become closer to God. It is in our everyday work as we do it with excellence, follow Christ’s example, and continue to do what is right. And the best part? God will reward you.

James 1:2-4 says, Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

So, suffering has a place and a purpose. How are you ‘suffering’ for your faith?

 

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

P.S. Grow your Faith with a Personalized Faith Plan. Only by cultivating your vertical relationship with God will you walk in obedience and grow into suffering for the right reasons.

Leaning In and Working Out

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“We hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in.” Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead.

After I read this book I was intrigued with the idea of Leaning In . . . to God. Throughout the book one message rings clear, if you want something or want to do something then you have to stand up for it and sometimes fight for it. Are you, as a Woman of Faith, ‘fighting’ for the ONE relationship that matters most?

Let’s look into this concept LEAN IN. I love acronyms so I have devised this one to help you visualize the actions behind it.

L- listen to God

E- evaluate and reframe your viewpoint

A- access His power

N- note or place your attention, reflect

I- imitate the Father and Christ

N- His name, your reputation and whose you are.

Only by pulling together each of these actions can you grow your faith in a way that is not dependent on your church attendance but is dependent on God.

What is possible by Leaning In to God? Everything. How? First, you need to fill up on Him each day by taking time with Him. Then you can access His super-abundance by creating habits that matter. You take control of your spiritual growth by cooperating with God. AND, you show your commitment to the Father in your actions each day.

Leaning In to God takes your Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength. It begins with looking on the inside. Your Heart represents your feelings and emotions. Your Soul is that part of you that is imaginative and just knows when something is right, your intuition. The Mind incorporates your intellect and also gives you your ability to reason. Your Strength includes your actions and your experiences.

God tells us to love Him with all these parts of ourselves. Only by cultivating practices that grow your faith in a way that makes sense to you will you actually follow through and be consistent in Leaning In to God.

Imagine, Leaning In– to God, in your way; Leaning In to God the way He designed you. Don’t hold back from Him out of your fears or out of a lack of self-confidence. You can do it through the Personalized Faith Plan. Download it now and start your adventure connecting to God in a whole new way.

Raise your hand and say, “I will do it”. Step forward and make a commitment TO do it. And, Lean In to God . . .

Be filled to overflowing,

 

Deneen

 

P.R.A.Y.E.R.

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Prayer, What does it mean to you when you hear the word? Do you see yourself kneeling in church, lifting your arms toward the sky, or holding hands in a group? What does it mean to Pray without ceasing? How can Prayer help your life and your business?

PRAYER is-

Purposeful. Research shows that prayer is a powerful tool for self-control; making you a nicer person; increasing your ability to forgive; increasing trust; and, offsetting the negative effects of stress. But you probably don’t need to hear this. You know that prayer and praying are good for you, right?

And, prayer is part of your planning process. In the Bible, we learn that God used Rahab, a woman with a questionable reputation, to be part of the lineage of Jesus. She trusted God when she didn’t even know Him yet. She started with a Plan. Her thoughts were her prayers. She wanted to save her family, she wanted a different life, and God redeemed her through her Planning.

Make your prayers purposeful by bringing all your plans to God.

 

Real. Talk to God in the way you would talk to a friend. God wants your vertical relationship with Him to be your most intimate. How do you connect with people in the world? Through conversation, right? When we open up to God and are honest with ourselves before Him, then we are being real.

Our deepest need is that soul longing connection with God. In a conversation with a friend there needs to be authentic communication. Guess what? It works the same way when you are talking to God. He invites you to spend time with Him. You have to agree to have real connection with Him through prayer.

Charles Spurgeon said, “You learn to pray by praying.” That is the best communication practice you have that makes connection with God Real.

 

Adjustment. We are all following a path in this life. Some paths are straightforward while others meander in different directions. No matter where they go or how they are travelled we are each on our own path. It is okay. Galatians 6:4-5 says, Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

God wants us to align with Him for our success. He will give you the vision for what He wants you to do. AND you know what? He also equips you to do what He is calling you to do. By staying in communication with Him through daily prayer you stay close to Him, know His will, and have no fear for the adventure.

Prayer can look different too. Find a way to pray that helps you connect to God. (For me it is using my colored pens & pencils in my Journal.)

 

Yielding. God’s will for you is better than you can imagine. The vision you have for your business was put there by God. He asks us to be satisfied in the place He has us now; then we are ready to move into the next phase. Do you really believe He has your best interest at heart?

Remember, 10% of life is what happens to you and 90% is how you react to it. So, the more you pray then . . . the better you can handle any situation. Do you see the logic? God wants to transform you into His image. He wants you to see your work as your way of serving Him. AND, He wants you to place Him at the head of life and business. Trust Him by doing what He is asking you to do.

Plus, prayer is your first line of defense so you show up in your business exactly as God planned for you.

 

Expectation. Your definition of success needs to be what God has designed for you. Many times, we can be caught up in the world’s definition of success. God has so much more for you. Celebrate successes along the way. Each time you obey God, success. Each time you make progress, success.

Expect God to show up in BIG ways for you. Ask Him for outrageous things. That vision He gave you when you began your business is small compared to where He wants to take you. And, don’t worry about feeling equipped. He will bring the resources you need to help you when you most need it.

Pray prayers of gratitude for all He has given you so far AND prayers of expectation as you plan the future together.

 

Routine. Have you found it hard to find time to pray? Do you think you are not good at praying? Are you not able to focus when you pray? You are like me (and a lot of others who are not being honest). I want to share a simple technique. Instead of working through an entire hour, stop what you are doing at the end of a ‘50-minute hour’ and allow yourself to switch gears by re-charging your brain. (This is science.)

Sit comfortably and quiet your mind by focusing on your breathing. Close your eyes or focus on an object/picture. Just breath normal and bring your attention to the breath moving in and out of your nose. Then feel the breath moving your chest and stomach as you inhale and exhale. Give yourself a minute or two just focusing on it. This gives your brain needed oxygen (yes, you will start to breath deeper, it is natural).

Now move into intentional thinking: Prayer

  • One thing you are Grateful for
  • One thing that is a Concern for you
  • One Friend
  • One Family member

No more than these four points. You can write it down or just think through it. By doing this exercise at various times during your day you will accumulate several minutes of prayer that will be better for your brain, your body, and your soul.

 

Pray, Plan, Pray MORE.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

 

 

 

Feeling Empty? Get to Work.

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Empty?

After a day of kids, carpools, laundry, meal planning, cooking, cleaning, marketing, phone calls, meetings, networking, and clients you can feel a little empty.  Let’s face it, a lot of empty. And, I forgot to mention your self-care that includes exercise, eating well, and spiritual renewal (aka, time with God). Are you there? Do you feel that drain as you read the list?  I feel the drain just writing it.

Problem

That’s where we find the Widow in Debt, in a place where she is empty. She has nothing left and is ready to lose even more.  Her husband, has been a part of the prophets who have been working with Elijah and now, Elisha (2 Kings 4:1). He had been faithful to God. Why would she be in this predicament? Why are you in yours?

I love that she goes straight to her spiritual leader to ask for help. The creditors are ready to take her sons as slaves to fulfill her husband’s debt. Do you think she blamed Elisha for her situation? I can hear some of the thoughts going through her head, ‘if only we hadn’t had to borrow that money to live while my husband was following the man of God’. Even the most devout can have doubts when they can’t understand what God is doing.

She reaches out to him either because she blames him or because she expects him to help her. Either way, she is in front of Elisha asking for his assistance. She is bold in her request and tells it straight forward in a way this prophet can respect.

Solution

His response is quick and simple. He asks, ‘How can I help and what do you have in your house?’ (2 Kings 4:2) In Hebrew, the word for widow literally means, empty house.  How ironic that Elisha asks her that question.  Her immediate response is, ‘I have nothing’. I can almost hear the irritation in her voice. Then, in the same breath, she says, ‘Well, I have a little oil’.

You might feel empty, but I bet you have a little oil.

God wants you to trust Him with the little things. He builds your faith on what you hold out to Him. You may feel you have nothing to offer, but you do. Think about those tasks that come easily to you. In your business, you shine in one area and it gives you joy. Give it to God for His use.

Elisha’s response is not to give her a hand out, it is to give her a means of helping herself. She may have been expecting him to just give her a miracle but God had another way to heal her heart. There is no pity from the prophet about her predicament. He gives her a plan.

Healing for her comes from acting. Elisha tells her to collect from anyone and everyone as many containers as she can. He gives her a project to do so she is focused on what she has, the little oil, and not on what she does not have. In fact, her project is so big she must include her sons, the very ones she is afraid of losing. She displays her complete trust in Elisha (and God) by getting to work.

There is a saying that the more you give the more you get. I think a truer saying is, the more you give God the more He can bless it. It is in our obedience to Him in the little things that we can be given larger responsibilities. God wants it all. She gave what she had and God multiplied it.

Me? Empty?

A while back I felt like I had nothing to give. I was going in so many directions, following so many ‘experts’ and trying to do it all to make my business grow.  I thought I was doing it right. I thought this was what God wanted. Then I crashed. The very thing I thought I was to be doing was taken away from me. It was hard.

I decided to rest for a while and regroup. During that time I discovered that God wanted me to rest. He taught me that I just have to put it before Him and wait. Waiting is hard for me. It has been over 6 months now and I must say it has been worth the wait. As I give God each of my ideas, my programs, my personality, my . . . well, everything I have seen tremendous growth in my life and business. I still follow certain ‘experts’ but they have passed the God-test and are good for me.

You? Empty?

God asks you to offer what you have so He can use it (Rom 12:1). He only asks you to start with the small things in your life: schedule, attitudes, relationship with Him. Then He expects you to look at the bigger things in your life and hold them out to Him too: priorities, values, business. Do you have any oil? What resources has God equipped you with for your business that you need to hold out to Him?

The Calling Clarity Course might be there very Resource you need to figure it all out. Get on the waiting list by clicking here and sending me a message that just states, “Put me on the list”. It will be amazing!

 

 

 

Choose Your Adventure

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Do you remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books? Those stories were exciting to read. The story was always full of suspense and the adventure intriguing. At the bottom of a certain page there would be a choice to make.  AND, those choices never seemed to be exactly what you would do. What to do next . . .

For me it was always a dilemma to make those types of choices. I wanted to choose the best adventure. Should I flip to the next page or go deeper into the book? Which would be better? Did it matter? The beauty of these books was that you could read them again and again and never have the same thing happen.

Your Christian life can be the same type of adventure. Just like those books, your choices have direct influence on how the adventure goes. Maybe you feel there are too many choices? Serving God can mean showing up for a volunteer opportunity at church. Learning about God by joining a Bible Study. Or, for more adventure, going on an overseas mission trip. What choices have you made that are making this Christian adventure exciting? Is it working for you?

God has so much more. He has created an adventure specifically for you and wants you to choose to be on the ride. The adventure is daily and runs through your entire life, not just at times when you are with ‘God’s people’ learning and serving. God’s plan includes your uniqueness shining in the world.

1 Corinthians 12:12 says that we are all part of the same body. Your function is different from everyone else’s. Your adventure is exclusive to you. AND, you get to complete the picture God has for His Church, His people, by choosing to live it.

How? By inviting God into every day.

Recently, I led a group in the study of Spiritual Gifts and how they can be applied to the workplace. Each woman in the study is a business owner and each desires to live out her own Christian life adventure. This study revealed their top Spiritual Gifts and we discussed how each was or could be applied daily through their work.

Spiritual Gifts are given when we need them. They are meant to edify the group. They can reflect natural abilities but are often surprises on the adventure. Recognizing them can be a challenge; allowing God to use them is your choice.  I wanted to see the diversity of our group and how we complemented one another.

One woman has the Faith gift. She did not know how that fit into her adventure. Faith is defined as belief that God will do things that are impossible for us apart from His intervention. She had been dealing with cancer that had reoccurred. Her attitude has always remained positive. Those in her office see her as calm, steady, and assured that everything will work out. She hadn’t seen that her Faith was sticking out all over the place as she trusted God for the results of treatment.

Another woman has the Pastoring gift. She laughed when this result came to light. At first she felt that she could not possibly have a gift she thought was reserved for Pastors. But the definition for Pastoring is caring consistently for the personal needs of others through personalized counseling and coaching. While she is not a coach, she is a listener. God has given her many opportunities to pour into other’s lives. She is a magnet for those hurting and in need of comfort.

Each has her own adventure. Within our small group we have Administration, Teaching, Connecting, and Hospitality gifts. Each woman contributes to our group in her unique way. Each gives a perspective that brings richness to our group and fulfills the needs of someone else.

You have an adventure too. Your GIFTS are for you to share. Choosing to serve God and others through your gifts brings an awareness of God to the world. You SHINE for Him.

The Christian life is an adventure. It is a daily commitment to see your world through God’s eyes. Ask Him to help you choose the right next step. God is surprising and He will sometimes give you a choice that seems different than anything you would choose. That’s when He says, “Do you trust me with your adventure?”

Your story continues. You may not be able to go back and make a different choice in the adventure, but you can move forward in your story and make choices that create the Christian adventure God has for YOU. You are right where you need to be. Ride the adventure in His strength by connecting to Him. Your choices will be easy.

 

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

P.S. Your Personalized Faith Plan is waiting for you. Find your uniqueness and make your adventure count for God.

 

3 Steps to Creating the Right Vision for Your Passion

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There is an ache inside of you just wanting to come out, right? You know you were meant for something more than what you are doing. Or, you have decided to follow that passion that has been burning inside for a while and you can just feel that you are on the verge of making it happen.

Are you there? Do you have a plan? The next three things to consider will open your vision and allow you to live your passion. Where there is a plan there is a method to achieve it. This 3-step process will allow you to create your business vision.

Dream

Get a clear image in your mind of where you want your business to go.  Give yourself some time to sit with this idea.  Take a journal and start to write down the biggest dream you have for your business. Don’t get into the how, what, where, when.  Allow yourself to write down how far you want to take your business. Write down what inspired you about this business idea. Why is it the thing you should do?

For me it is about seeing the long-term vision. I want to create get-a-way retreats. That is the dream. I see the coffee country of Colombia as the backdrop for my Connecting Faith & Business retreats. What is your dream?

View

Next, consider how you want the world to view your business. What type of reputation do you want to have in the marketplace? What is its place and how will it affect others? Write this down in your journal also. Add details about how you will get there. This is a little more in in depth than just dreaming. In your details include finances, service, growth, sustainability, etc. Remember, this is still a general view (don’t get too detailed).

Again, I see the steps as starting here in the USA with overnight and weekend retreats. I need to develop programs that women want to be involved with that have meaning for them as they pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. I want to take these retreats all over the United States to be the get-a-way Faith & Business Retreat.

Statement

Then, think about what your business does, and imagine what your business would look like if it became the best possible version of itself. Take the best portions of your dream and view to create a clear and concise statement. It should describe the best outcome for your business and be realistic. It should use language that builds a picture in other’s minds. Make the statement powerful, full of passion and memorable.

My statement includes creating a picture of retreats that give the participants direction and purpose for their calling. The perfect picture of my business would be that they would leave a retreat knowing how they uniquely connect to God and how they are equipped to complete the purpose God has for them in the Marketplace.

Here are some examples to ignite your thoughts about creating a Vision Statement:

  • ‘There will be a personal computer on every desk running Microsoft software.’ (Microsoft’s original vision statement)
  • ‘Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.’ (Amazon.com)
  • ‘To build a community of coffee lovers in Brisbane, by serving the best coffee at the best possible prices.’ (local café)
  • ‘Our salon will change the way you think about a haircut, and leave you glowing both inside and out.’ (local hairdresser)

http://www.qld.gov.au/

Once created, this Vision Statement becomes a tool for you to measure your progress and success. By carefully crafting it, it becomes the filter you can use to make key business decisions. Since it represents the heart and soul of your business you are able to know if the next move is a good one or not by assessing it from the viewpoint of your vision.

God is calling you to live your purpose. He created you just for this time in history to fulfill His mission for your life. That business vision you have in your mind is good and worth exploring. He has uniquely given you all you need to complete the vision.

Let’s work together to discover HOW He has equipped you through your personality, strengths, values, expertise, talents, experiences, and Spiritual gifts to realize the vision He put in your heart and that is pushing to get out. Sign up for the next intake of the Clarity Calling Program. Email deneen@GrowFromYourOverflow.com and say, ‘Put me on the list’. You will receive details about the program designed to help you live the Dream, create the View, and write the Vision.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen